Daniela Banci, Canzona 'Bella gerit Musasque colit' Necklace, 2023, sterling silver, 375 gold, rock crystal, quartz, l 76 cm

The necklace is a homage to one of the intarsia panels in the Studiolo of Urbino showing a musical score on top of a closed book and leaning on a crystalline jug closed by a cuspidate lid. The words of  a song dedicated to the Duke are clearly visible on the open pages of the score. It perfectly encapsulates Federico's reconciliation of military profession and artistic vocation, public duty and personal enjoyment, 'Bella gerit Musasque colit / Federicus omnium / maximus Italiorum Dux foris / atque domi' ("Federico, the greatest leader of all Italians, outdoors and at home, he fights wars  and cultivates the Muses). The necklace Canzona ‘Bella gerit’ is dedicated to this hymn and is made up of a series of irregular, mobile, engraved plates in gold and silver interrupted by irregular natural quartz crystals. The pendant is composed of three geometric mobile rock crystal elements on top of which three irregular, faceted natural quartz crystals are scattered, clearly alluding to a pentagram with musical notes.